Published: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 11:50 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 11:50 p.m.

The vision for a new restaurant at WestGate Mall that will replace Garfield’s is beginning to take shape.

Red Bowl Asian Bistro will open Dec. 5 in the 5,000-square-foot space adjacent to the mall’s food court, said General Manager Mark Bai.

The company, which has 22 restaurants across North and South Carolina, has spent the last several weeks turning the location into a trendy Asian-inspired eatery that will serve fusion cuisine from various cultures, including Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese.

From the façade to the dining room, Red Bowl Spartanburg has received a floor to ceiling transformation, which includes stone walls, mosaic tiles, new equipment and fixtures, posh furniture and a super-sized picture of downtown Hong Kong.

“Everybody is excited,” said Bai, who was born in China. “We have put a lot of work into it … We still have work to do, but it’s going to be awesome.”

The 160-seat restaurant will also have a full-service cocktail lounge that serves Asian-inspired drinks, a create-your-own stir-fry bar and sushi bar, and a 60-seat private dining room.

Red Bowl’s dinner prices top out at about $14 per entrée and the menu is full of choices that cover basic proteins like chicken, beef and fish. Vegetarian items, as well as rice and pasta bowls, are also offered.

The lunch menu features a condensed offering of the eatery’s favorites priced from $5.95 to $6.50. The restaurant hosts a half-off Sushi happy hour from 3 to 6:30 p.m. every day.

Kid’s meals are available for under $3.95 anytime and anyone age 12 and under can eat free on Saturdays. Dine-in customers can get one free kids meal (drink not included) with the purchase of an adult entree of $5.75 or more before 3 p.m. or $8.25 or more after 3 p.m. The eatery will offer churchgoers free soft drinks on Sunday. It also has a gluten-free menu and offers coupons online.

Garfield’s shuttered earlier this year after its lease expired and both the mall’s and restaurant’s ownership decided not to renew the contract.

Bai said the restaurant will create about 30 jobs. He is currently hiring and said jobseekers should stop by the eatery to fill out an application.

“We are looking forward to serving Spartanburg,” Bai said. “Hopefully, we will be crowded and give customers something new.”

Red Bowl Spartanburg will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

<p>The vision for a new restaurant at WestGate Mall that will replace Garfield's is beginning to take shape.</p><p>Red Bowl Asian Bistro will open Dec. 5 in the 5,000-square-foot space adjacent to the mall's food court, said General Manager Mark Bai.</p><p>The company, which has 22 restaurants across North and South Carolina, has spent the last several weeks turning the location into a trendy Asian-inspired eatery that will serve fusion cuisine from various cultures, including Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese.</p><p>From the façade to the dining room, Red Bowl Spartanburg has received a floor to ceiling transformation, which includes stone walls, mosaic tiles, new equipment and fixtures, posh furniture and a super-sized picture of downtown Hong Kong.</p><p>“Everybody is excited,” said Bai, who was born in China. “We have put a lot of work into it … We still have work to do, but it's going to be awesome.”</p><p>The 160-seat restaurant will also have a full-service cocktail lounge that serves Asian-inspired drinks, a create-your-own stir-fry bar and sushi bar, and a 60-seat private dining room.</p><p>Red Bowl's dinner prices top out at about $14 per entrée and the menu is full of choices that cover basic proteins like chicken, beef and fish. Vegetarian items, as well as rice and pasta bowls, are also offered.</p><p>The lunch menu features a condensed offering of the eatery's favorites priced from $5.95 to $6.50. The restaurant hosts a half-off Sushi happy hour from 3 to 6:30 p.m. every day.</p><p>Kid's meals are available for under $3.95 anytime and anyone age 12 and under can eat free on Saturdays. Dine-in customers can get one free kids meal (drink not included) with the purchase of an adult entree of $5.75 or more before 3 p.m. or $8.25 or more after 3 p.m. The eatery will offer churchgoers free soft drinks on Sunday. It also has a gluten-free menu and offers coupons online.</p><p>Garfield's shuttered earlier this year after its lease expired and both the mall's and restaurant's ownership decided not to renew the contract.</p><p>Bai said the restaurant will create about 30 jobs. He is currently hiring and said jobseekers should stop by the eatery to fill out an application.</p><p>“We are looking forward to serving Spartanburg,” Bai said. “Hopefully, we will be crowded and give customers something new.”</p><p>Red Bowl Spartanburg will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.</p><p>For more information, visit www.redbowlspartanburg.com.</p>